Chapter 190 (1/2)

There was an ox cart in the wilderness.

The cart was an ordinary wooden cart that had slightly misshapen wheels from the long journey. It emitted slight creaks as it traveled on the hard gra.s.sland. It b.u.mped up and down, leaving behind an untraceable print behind him. The wheels would dig deeply into the soft wet ground and little fish would jump out as they pa.s.sed.

The ox was ordinary as well. Its strong legs held strong even though it had traveled far and wide. It grunted occasionally as it walked on the hard ground. Sometimes, it would lower its head to munch on the gra.s.s, leaving behind a gra.s.s trail and flattened gra.s.s when it dug its hoof deeply into the wet ground.

An ordinary wood cart and an ordinary ox from the Central Plains appearing in the wilderness was something extraordinary. Anyone witnessing this would find it rather incredible.

The driver of this cart was a wide-eyed scholar. His dusty robes seemed more tattered that it was. However, his expression was friendly and trustworthy. It was curious how his straw slippers did not fall apart even though he had been on the road for more than a year. A water ladle hung at his waist and it swayed along with the movement of the ox cart.

A sudden song wafted from the ox cart

”I wasn't allowed home... it worries me..”

The scholar driving the place smiled. He patted the ox lightly, signaling for it to stop. He turned around and said, ”Headmaster, do you want to go home?”

The curtains raised. A tall man with white hair walked out. He rubbed his waist and stretched his arms. He looked at the empty wilderness and said angrily, ”We've been out for more than a year, and yet, we hang around in the wild, have nothing to eat and nothing to do. Who wouldn't want to return to Chang'an?”

The old man was the Headmaster of the Academy.

Eldest Brother smiled and helped Headmaster off the cart and onto a bench he retrieved from the cart. He said placatingly, ”It's good that we were able to see the sights along the way.”

The Headmaster was so tall that his robes covered the short bench completely. He looked as if he was squatting on the gra.s.sland and it looked rather funny.

The Headmaster said, ”What scenery is there to see? The Hot Sea has frozen, we can't even think of going for a hot bath in the springs!”

”We had really good peony fish even though we didn't manage to soak in the hot springs.” Eldest Brother said.

There was a sea in the extreme north that had an underwater volcano. The waters there never froze, giving it the name Hot Sea. There was fish called ”peony” in the depth of the Hot Sea. Peony fish were fat and succulent and when cut straight down with a knife, looked like a peony flower.

Only people like the Headmaster and Eldest Brother would know about this.

Headmaster stroked his long beard and nodded in agreement. He said, ”Child, I cannot agree more with what you just said. All the difficulties in this journey are well worth it as long as we get to eat peony fish.”

Senior Brother retrieved a knife as well as other cooking utensils and a pail from the cart. He thawed out a peony fish and began to slice it.

The Headmaster looked at the wriggling fish on the board and praised, ”Food has to be eaten fresh. The heat from the Hot Sea along with the cold in the northern regions have made this fish so succulent. It makes the long journey totally worth it.”

Senior brother smiled and did not reply. He carved the fish carefully. The fish was fat and succulent. Even the sharpest knife could hardly pierce its skin. Senior Brother cut the fish slowly, his two different strokes looked as if they landed on the same spot. However, when he lifted his knife, it glistened with a thin slice of flesh.

”You can't slice river fish too thinly, or it'd lose its texture. But the Peony fish lives in the deep sea and its flesh is extremely bouncy. The thinner it is, the better. Child, you have indeed learned some things about life after all these years.”

Headmaster shook his head in praise. He retrieved soy sauce and a green colored condiment as well as ginger with his left hand and reached for the thin slice of fish with his right hand. He dipped the flesh in the bowl and brought it to his mouth.

Headmaster closed his eyes in delight as he chewed. He had an expression of utter bliss on his face that seemed as sweet as the fish he savored. His eyes flicked open and he stared at the chopping board and the knife that moved too slowly. He said urgently, ”Quick, quick.”

Senior Brother smiled but did not move faster. He continued to cut it slowly.

The Headmaster could not wait any longer and s.n.a.t.c.hed the knife over. He sighed, ”Child, you are good at almost everything. But you're just too slow. I can't wait any longer.”

Senior Brother explained respectfully, ”Your student is stupid, that is why I am willing to think for a bit longer before doing anything.”

”You have to learn more from Little Mo. Think when you should and don't when you don't have to.”

”Second younger brother is amazing. I cannot compare with him.”

”Wouldn't he be ashamed of his younger self if he heard you saying that.”

Headmaster started carving and was done within seconds. The board was filled with slices of fish that was as white as snow. It bore an uncanny likeness to a blossoming white peony flower.

The bones and organs were wrapped in a thin film and it looked like a piece of amber.

Second Brother retrieved two pairs of chopsticks. He only helped himself to the fish after Headmaster had eaten his fill. He then fed the amber like bones and organs to the ox.

It was a fact that oxen ate gra.s.s. But... the ox ate fish. It chewed vigorously and shook his head, looking extremely happy.

Headmaster was drinking a pot of wine when he saw this. He said angrily, ”This is such a waste of good food! A cow eating peony fis.h.!.+ Should the fish be eaten in this way?”